Close-Coupling

[Bulleidboy]

I gave 9F 92220 Evening Star a run on the layout today. I tried close coupling the loco to the tender - normally used for display purposes. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it would run the full length of the layout, negotiating all curves, with no problems. The only problem was when running in reverse, the piece of the coupling that drops down, was hitting one point frog, which stopped the loco dead in it's tracks - the coupling will be replaced by a Kadee. The loco looks so much better without the gaping chasm between the fall plate and the tender.

Have you tried this?

[atom3624]

Totally agree with you.

Those which have a drawbar with 2 holes, often the close coupled one is too close, so I'll adjust or find an alternative which gives a 'somewhere in-between' setting.

For some locomotives, of various manufacturers, not just Hornby, the close coupled setting can work, others absolutely no chance - the tender can barely articulate at all.

Al.

[LesXRN]

I have close coupled a few Loco's, 9F, Scotsman, Duke of Gloucester, William Shakespeare.

To be fair, I'm using large radius points and my curves will be far greater than even 4th radius, so no problems here.

[threelink]

There is a cheat that will alow close coupling of loco and tender if you do not mind a slight loss of realism (only visible on close inspection). If the fall plate is radiused off in a curve it will allow the tender to articulate when close coupled. Sometimes the fall plate is modelled on the tender and sometimes on the loco. There is no hard and fast rule - it's just a question of filing off enough to allow sufficient articulation for the radius of curves used in your track. As a counsel of perfection the fall plate can be replaced by a two part plate, one part on the tender and the other on the loco, each radiused to match the other, like the floor plates used in modern articulated trams.

[atom3624]

Hi 3L, I fully agree with your initiative - that's what I do with detailed, slightly older models which don't have a fall plate.

The problem I find, certainly with Hornby is their 'normal running' and 'close coupled' positions are very variable, and also some transitions are small, others relatively huge, permitting articulation or virtually no movement.

Al.

[Bulleidboy]

On my new 9F the connecting bar was the wrong way round. Normally you remove the screw, move the loco/tender closer, and put the screw back through the second hole. I had to have the "double hole" end, connected to the tender, which meant taking the bar off and reversing it's position. I have not had that problem before - a minor slip-up during assembly.

[LesXRN]

My new 9F was the sme Bulleidboy. I even had to file a little off the end for it to swivel freely. It works fine now.

Fall plates are a definite must for me too as it certainly helps the look.

[atom3624]

Strange coincidence, as I can run my Bachmann 92220 Evening Star at the close-coupled setting as well without issue - might be 'a 9F thing' !

Al.